Distinguished conductor Edward Downes and his wife commit suicide
This sad news in from the AP:
British conductor Edward Downes, a longtime stalwart at the Royal Opera and maestro of the first-ever performance at Sydney's iconic Opera House, has died with his wife Joan at an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland. He was 85 and she was 74. The couple's children said Tuesday that the couple died "peacefully and under circumstances of their own choosing" on Friday at a Zurich clinic run by the group Dignitas. "After 54 happy years together, they decided to end their own lives rather than continue to struggle with serious health problems," said a statement from the couple's son and daughter, Caractacus and Boudicca.
The statement said Downes, who became Sir Edward when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991, had become ...
Downes' manager, Jonathan Groves, said he was shocked by the couple's deaths, but called their decision "typically brave and courageous."
... Born in 1924 in Birmingham, central England, Edward Downes studied at Birmingham University, the Royal College of Music and under German conductor Hermann Scherchen. In 1952 he joined London's Royal Opera House as a junior staffer — his first job was prompting soprano Maria Callas. He made his debut as a conductor with the company the following year and went on to become associate music director. Throughout his life he retained close ties to the Royal Opera, conducting 49 different operas there over more than 50 years. He also had a decades-long association with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, where he became principal conductor and later conductor emeritus.
Downes was known for his support for British composers and his passion for Prokofiev and Verdi, on whom he was considered an expert. In the 1970s he became music director of the Australian Opera, conducting the first performance at the Sydney Opera House in 1973. He also worked with the Netherlands Radio Orchestra and ensembles around the world.
The couple is survived by their children, who said their parents "both lived life to the full and considered themselves to be extremely lucky to have lived such rewarding lives, both professionally and personally." The family said there would be no funeral.
Comments
One wishes that people who have contributed so positively to society's betterment - as this couple obviously had - could indeed live forever. This was a difficult decision for the family to be sure, but who would deny them this option, or judge them harshly for taking this road? Not I. Death, unfortunately, has a zero tolerance policy. We can however, treasure their legacy forever. RIP.
Thanks for commenting. This whole thing really does give one pause. TIM
Posted by: Jaime Herrera | July 15, 2009 12:24 PM
More power to them! If I ever reached a state similar to Sir Edward's, then I think I would want to die as humanely as possible. Either that, or give me the ol' "heart attack at the podium" (a la Sinopoli) or "drop dead at the keyboard" (a la Vierne) any day!
I'm glad that Dignitas allowed them to choose a decent, dignified passing. And I feel obliged to give to the couple one final "Bravo!" for being so forward-thinking, even if the cost to the rest of us is so staggering.
Personally, I'd feel a little more comfortable with this if both individuals had been terminally ill. TIM
Posted by: Doug Halfen | July 15, 2009 10:04 PM